How to dance in a wedding dress? First Dance Tips.
Ladies, a wedding is a special time in which you and your partner are in the spotlight. It’s worth practicing the choreography in your chosen wedding dress to prepare for the first wedding dance. Do problems with the dress happen often? Not really, and if they do, they can usually be easily dealt with. However, we advise trying to practice your first dance in a wedding dress beforehand, for your own peace of mind.
Remember that both – any type of dress and suit, can be a challenge when stepping on the dance floor. Therefore, in order to feel comfortable and confident during the first dance, here are some useful tips. Learning how to dance for a wedding will give you a boost and take away the stress that often comes before getting on the dance floor.
First dance for a wedding - what do you need to remember?
The most important thing is that neither of you should look under your feet while dancing. Inexperienced dancers feel a great need to look where to put the next step, but the magic of this special moment disappears. The nature of the first dance also implies that the newlyweds look into each other’s eyes, not at their feet. Another thing is that if your fiancé learns to dance this way, he may be a bit surprised at the wedding when, after putting on the dress, his partner’s legs are no longer visible. This is why learning to dance for a wedding is so important.
If you are afraid that your partner will see you in your dress before the wedding, you can always put a robe over it. An alternative idea would be to practice dancing in a long skirt to get used to its length and material.
A gown with a train – be careful not to step on it!
Rule number one – pin up the train so you don’t risk accidentally trampling the gown. Also check if it will not detach during quick turns close to your partner or while lifting.
However, if the train turns out to be too heavy and the attachment too fragile, ask your seamstress for additional reinforcement. Before the ceremony, check it again to make sure it’s attached properly so you’re 100% sure and don’t think about it on the dance floor. When planning the first wedding dance, it is worth considering all possible scenarios.
Mermaids – don't be shy!
This type of dresses sometimes restrain the movement of the legs. Remember to take small steps and ask your fiancé to do the same. The lifts in which you need to raise your leg may be impossible to perform. If your choreography includes that type of liftuse the lift alternative included in our online first dance courses. Alternatively, choose another lift from our course of lifts and lift alternatives.
Princess ballgown - beware of rotations!
This type of dress is usually very long. Make sure that your gown is properly fitted at length, so you will not trample it while dancing. In addition, this dresses often weigh a lot. You can feel it, especially during fast turns – the gown can slow down the movement.
Therefore, it is worth trying to make a few turns to get used to dancing in this type of dress. If you are looking for something slower but visually stunning, the traditional waltz in this case will work perfectly. Learning to dance for a wedding should give you as much pleasure as the actual dance.
Gowns with a hoop vs. lifting
If you choose a gown with a hoop, it is worth checking if you can comfortably perform lifts. It happens that in some cases such figures can be problematic. It is also worth practicing lifting in a slip with a circle. However, do not worry that the circle will go in your way during the wedding dance – this is just a myth!
Long-sleeved gowns – elegance without restraint
With this type of dress, check if you can raise your arms in the dance and that the sleeves do not restrain the movement of your hands. This can happen, for example, during turns in which your hands are up. If this figures causes problems, try to keep your hands low, against your body – you will still look beautiful, and your dance won’t be interrupted.
Strapless gowns – fit is the key to success
If you want to choose a strapless wedding dress, make sure that it is well-fitted and will not slip off during the dance. The solution here may be to tighten the bodice more firmly or to use transparent straps. However, remember that the binding should not be too tight! Your comfort at the wedding is the most important thing – you still need to be able to breathe! You can also check more subtle choreographies, in which risk of the dress slipping is lower – you can find some propositions in our wedding dance courses.
Gowns with a veil – a wedding classic.
Make sure that the veil is sufficiently – pinned up. When dancing, try to keep your chin up so that the veil does not fall on your face.
And now some valuable advice for gentlemen!
Dancing in a jacket – how to increase comfort?
Jackets, especially well-fitting, tailored ones, can restrain movements while dancing. Raising the hands in such an outfit can sometimes be difficult or can make the jacket come up. The solution to this problem is offered by ballroom dancers. Instead of classic suit jackets, they choose tailcoats. The different, longer cut guarantees more favorable positioning on the body.
Check out how to dance your choreography in a jacket – learning to dance for a wedding is also a chance to test different variations of the outfit. If you don’t feel comfortable, dance in a vest or in a shirt. In our opinion, this is often the most comfortable solution.
We wish you good luck in preparations for your first wedding dance and, as they say among dancers – break a leg!
See you on the dance floor!
Ania & Mateusz
